Bioprocess Engineering 2nd Edition by Fikret Kargi,Michael Shuler

Exercise 4

Streptomycin is extracted from the fermentation broth using an organic solvent in a counter-
current staged extraction unit. The distribution coefficient of streptomycin at pH = 4 is and the flow rate of the aqueous (H) phase is H = 150 l/min. If only five ex-
traction units are available to reduce the streptomycin concentration from 10 g/l in the aqueous
phase to 0.2 g/l, determine the required flow rate of the organic phase (L) in the extraction unit.